Greater New Orleans

State Finally Doing The Right Thing

Governor Blanco and her advisors have stepped up and allocated state funds to create a new Charity hospital and help subsidize the Road Home program. Many refugees from N.O. have settled in nearby cities in LA in hopes of eventually returning. Even though they are still working and paying state taxes, they are generally living in cramped housing and dealing with inadequate health and education services that the state or local governments are providing.

Tax revenues which normally would have gone to New Orleans are going to other areas of the state and have therefore created a state tax revenue surplus, without supplying necessary services in exchange. That is why these surpluses should be devoted to the redevelopment of N.O. since these people are simply trying to return home by staying within the state ballpark. I applaud the state for these new actions.

So where does that leave our federal government? Their response is on par with how they dealt with the crisis in the Convention Center...they're doing nothing. If Vitter and HUD administrators can sleep at night, they shouldn't be allowed to. If you know where they reside and are passing their places of residence at night, please blow your horns.

We locals are bending over backwards to contribute to our recovery. It is now time for the federal government to do the same. And for those of you who still think its all Nagin's fault, don't emabarrass yourself and instead, just keep it to yourself, the same way the people who supported the Iraq war are now doing.